1. Leadership personified from Deledio and CotchinRichmond has often been criticised for a perceived lack of on-field leadership in the past.
But with the game in the balance, it was skipper Trent Cotchin and vice-captain Brett Deledio who took the reins and delivered when it mattered most for the Tigers.
Cotchin had 11 disposals in a pulsating final term, working from contest to contest and leading from the front as a captain should do.
Deledio kicked two crucial goals in the final term and battled through the calf complaint that has limited him early this season.
It was the kind of individual efforts that Richmond has been crying out for after it started the season with two wins and four losses.
Deledio told Channel 7 after the game that the players were to blame for their sluggish start and that they all wanted to pull through for a memorable victory to get behind under-the-pump coach Damien Hardwick.
http://www.afl.com.au/news/2015-05-17/five-talking-points-richmond-v-collingwoodHardwick said the leadership group had taken a lot of the team's meetings in the build-up to Sunday's match and challenged the group to respond after a 2-4 start to the season.
"To see them perform like they did today was really impressive," the coach said.
"The big thing for us is that needs to continue going forward."
Cotchin said it made a difference when the leadership group - which also includes defenders Troy Chaplin and Steven Morris - fired as one, but they were no more important than the young players brought in on Sunday.
The Tigers blooded debutants Liam McBean and Connor Menadue, while young midfielder Corey Ellis showed more encouraging signs with 13 possessions and three clearances.
"We had a number of younger guys stand up in crucial moments," Cotchin told AFL.com.au.
"Nick Vlastuin took one really great intercept mark and then went back and crunched a contest with Jesse White.
"That's the expectation of our players but to see it happening more consistently is a fantastic result. It makes you proud as a player.
"I'm really proud of the way the boys consistently worked themselves into the game."
http://www.afl.com.au/news/2015-05-17/it-was-a-great-captains-game-hardwick-takes-aim-at-cotchin-critics